Harold Pinter

Photo of Harold Pinter

Biography

The preeminent playwright of his generation, Harold Pinter honed his literary skills during his twenties, traveling the lonely countrysides of Britain and Ireland as the actor David Baron in different repertory theater companies. The ellipses and pauses injected into his subsequent scripts are the direct result of his actor's crucible, having learned in everything from generic detective thrillers to Shakespeare how long a ham can hold a …
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Job Title

Actor, Director, Writer, Music

Born

October 10, 1930

Career Milestones

2007

Penned the screen adaptation of Anthony Shaffer's play, "Sleuth" directed by Kenneth Branagh

2006

Appeared in the critically-acclaimed production of Samuel Beckett's "Krapp's Last Tape"

2002

Staged a series of sketches and playlets performed in London, including the premiere of a new work, "Press Conference"

2001

Directed London revival of "No Man's Land"

2001

Received tribute at NYC's Lincoln Center on occasion of his 70th birthday; nine of his plays were produced as well as screenings of films; acted in "One for the Road"

2001

Played the father of a college professor stricken with terminal cancer in "Wit" (HBO); character seen in flashbacks

2001

Acted in the film version of John Le Carre's novel "The Tailor of Panama"

1999

Cast as the patriarch of the Bertram family in the film adaptation of "Mansfield Park"

1998

Had leading role in the film version of "Mojo", directed by Jez Butterworth

1997

Signed deal with Fox Searchlight to adapt Isak Dinesen's short story "The Dreaming Child" for Julia Ormond to produce and possibly to star

1997

Contributed to screenplay of Adrian Lyne's "Lolita"

1995

Acted the role of Roote, the totalitarian boss, in a revival of his play "The Hothouse", originally written in 1958 but not produced until 1980, a production directed by himself

1993

Scripted "The Trial", film based on Franz Kafka tale

1991

Wrote "The Comfort of Strangers", starring Christopher Walken, Natasha Richardson and Helen Mirren

1990

Adapted Margaret Atwood's novel "The Handmaid's Tale" for the screen

1985

Scripted film "Turtle Diary", with Glenda Jackson and Ben Kingsley

1983

Movie of "Betrayal" starred Ben Kingsley, Jeremy Irons and Patricia Hodge

1981

Wrote film version of John Fowles' novel "The French Lieutenant's Woman"

1978

"Betrayal" produced on London stage

1976

Adapted F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Last Tycoon" for the screen version directed by Elia Kazan

1975

First production of "No Man's Land", London

1974

First feature film as director, "Butley"

1969

Received Tony Award nomination for direction of "The Man in the Glass Booth" by Robert Shaw

1968

Double-bill of "The Basement" (originally produced for BBC) and "Tea Party" at Eastside Playhouse

1965

"The Homecoming" received first performance in Wales

1963

First screen adaptation, "The Servant"

1960

"The Caretaker" opened to rave reviews in London

1960

"The Dumbwaiter" debuted in London on a bill that included "The Room"

1959

"The Dumbwaiter", in German translation, produced in West Germany

1958

First full-length play, "The Birthday Party," produced in Cambridge, England

1957

Wrote first short play, "The Room"

Toured with British repertory and stock companies under name David Baron

Awards

1983

BAFTA Award for Adapted Screenplay in Betrayal

1983

Academy Award for Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium) in Betrayal

1981

Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture in The French Lieutenant's Woman

1981

BAFTA Award for Screenplay in The French Lieutenant's Woman

1981

Academy Award for Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium) in The French Lieutenant's Woman

1971

BAFTA Award for Screenplay in The Go-Between

1967

Tony Award for Play

1967

BAFTA Award for British Screenplay in Accident

1966

BAFTA Award for British Screenplay in The Quiller Memorandum

1964

BAFTA Award for British Screenplay in The Pumpkin Eater

1964

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay in The Servant

1963

BAFTA Award for British Screenplay in The Servant